A compressed nerve refers to a condition in which a nerve is compressed by an adjacent structure, also known commonly as a pinched nerve. The compressing force may be as a result of a host of spine conditions. These conditions cause damaged tissue in the spinal column that is compressing the neuroforamen — the open canal on either side of each vertebra through which spinal nerves pass on their way to other parts of the body.

Nerves often translate pressure into pain and send signals to the brain accordingly. The symptoms generated by nerve compression are typically the same regardless of its cause, resulting in pain, numbness, tingling, decreased mobility and weakness. Some or all of these symptoms radiate along the course of the nerve, giving the impression that the abnormality is distant from its actual cause. To learn about the causes and treatment options for a compressed nerve, read the following article.

Compressed nerve causes

When the radiating symptoms are caused by compression of a spinal nerve at its origin or root, the condition is referred to as radicular or a radiculopathy. Many conditions may cause a radiculopathy including:

Herniated disc

Bulging disc

Bone spurs

Spinal stenosis

Arthritis of the spine

Compressed nerve treatment options

The initial treatment of symptoms generated by nerve compression should be conservative therapies, which include:

Rest

Physical therapy

Sessions of mild chiropractic work

Pain medication, which may include over-the-counter or prescription drugs

Application of hot and cold compresses

Epidural steroid injections

If conservative measures fail to treat your compressed nerve symptoms, there are surgical options aimed at treating neural compression. To lessen unnecessary trauma to normal tissue, and to minimize surgical risk, the least invasive effective surgical technique should be employed. Currently, the least invasive form of spine surgery is minimally invasive spine surgery, such as the procedures performed at Laser Spine Institute to treat compressed nerves and other spine conditions.

At Laser Spine Institute, our minimally invasive decompression, and in severe cases, stabilization surgeries are performed through a small incision that is muscle-sparing and provides many advantages versus traditional open neck or back surgery, such as less bleeding, lower risk of complication and faster recovery times.^ Contact us today for more information concerning our minimally invasive compressed nerve procedures.

Laser Spine Institute is the leader in minimally invasive spine surgery and has helped more than 75,000 patients find relief from chronic neck or back pain since 2005. To find out if you are a potential candidate for one of our outpatient procedures, reach out to our dedicated team today and ask for a free MRI review.* We are here to help you recapture your quality of life from a compressed nerve so you can get back to the activities you have been missing out on.

Additional Resources

*Our MRI review is an informational review of the MRI report that you provide to us and is not a form of diagnosis. A diagnosis and a final determination of whether you may benefit from treatment at Laser Spine Institute can only be made after you have been physically examined by our medical professionals at Laser Spine Institute. The MRI review has no value and will not be billed.